Church of St Anne, Aigburth Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Anne, Aigburth
Church of St Anne, Aigburth, west end
53°22′10″N 2°55′50″W / 53.3694°N 2.9305°W / 53.3694; -2.9305
OS grid reference	SJ 381 862
Location	Aigburth, Liverpool, Merseyside
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St Anne's, Aigburth
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	12 July 1966
Architect(s)	Cunningham & Holme
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman Revival
Groundbreaking	1836
Completed	1914
Specifications
Materials	Ashlar stone, slate roof
Administration
Parish	Aigburth: St Anne
Deanery	Liverpool South Childwall
Archdeaconry	Liverpool
Diocese	Liverpool
Province	York

The Church of St Anne is a beautiful old church located on Aigburth Road in Liverpool, England. It's a special building, recognized as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important historically and architecturally. This church is an active Anglican parish church, part of the Liverpool diocese. Its design is an early example of the Norman Revival style, which looks like old Norman buildings.

History of the Church
Church Architecture
Outside Features
Community Connections
Images for kids
See also

History of the Church

The Church of St Anne was built between 1836 and 1837. It was designed by architects Cunningham and Holme. A group of local business people, including John Moss and Josias Booker, helped start the church. It was officially opened in 1837.

Changes Over Time

Over the years, the church has been made bigger and changed a few times.

In 1853–54, wide side sections called transepts were added. The area around the altar, called the chancel, was also made longer.
In 1893–94, the upper viewing areas (galleries) on the north and south sides were removed.
The chancel was extended even more in 1913–14.

A Historic Event

On December 16, 1913, the church was damaged in a fire. This happened during a time when women were fighting for the right to vote, known as the Suffragette movement. The altar and choir seats were burned in the incident.

Longest-Serving Teacher

On January 12, 2025, something amazing happened at St. Anne's. Pam Knowles set a Guinness World Record! She became the longest-serving Sunday School teacher in the world. She has taught at St. Anne's for over 73 years, which is a very long time!

Church Architecture

The Church of St Anne is built from ashlar stone, which is finely cut stone, and has a slate roof. It's designed in the Norman Revival style, which means it looks like buildings from the Norman period.

Building Layout

The church has a specific layout:

A tall tower at the west end.
A special room for baptisms (baptistry) on the north side of the tower.
A stair area on the south side.
A main hall called the nave, which has four sections.
North and south transepts (side sections).
A chancel (area around the altar) with three sections.
An organ room on the north side and a vestry (changing room for clergy) on the south.

Outside Details

The main entrance is at the bottom of the tower. It has a round-headed doorway with decorative arches above it. There's a clock face on the tower, surrounded by a large rose design. The tower also has bell openings and a decorative top section. The east window has three tall, narrow windows and a round rose window.

Inside Features

Inside, the gallery at the west end is still there. There are also galleries in the transepts, which are like balconies.

Outside Features

The church also has special gate piers (tall, strong posts) that are also listed as Grade II. There are two pairs of these stone gate piers. They are also in the Norman Revival style, matching the church. They are octagonal (eight-sided) and have decorative arches, supports, and pointed tops.

Community Connections

The Church of St Anne is right next to St Margaret's Church of England Academy. The church is sometimes used for school events, like carol services, which helps connect the church with the local community.